What was teenage life like? Teenagers were allowed more freedom than previous years. They loved listening to rock and roll music and males were expected to have a job or join the army for money to provide for their families. During class time girls would make dresses and hats and learn how to do laundry correctly. Boys were trained in physical education to keep them in shape for war. There were “sock hops” which were dances. The dancing style was called “Jitter Bug.”
What music did they listen to? Rock and roll Russ Morgan Freddy Martin
What was the median family income? $19000
What was the median family income of wealthy families? $25000
Fashion during the late 40’s After the war when all of the fabric restrictions were taken off, the female full skirt with a tight waist was popular, and although many of these dresses were rather uncomfortable to wear they were considered highly fashionable. Also women gave up low-heeled shoes for high heels, curled their hair typically, and wore make-up when socially acceptable. During this time the majority of men were factory or office workers and had typical business suits and factory clothing, however when socially required the zoot suit was rather popular.
Entertainment: First Emmy Awards are handed out on January 25
Cable television debuts, bringing better reception to rural areas where the original signal was weak Milton Berle hosts the first telethon, which went to benefit cancer research
Music: · "Some Enchanted Evening" · "Ghost Riders in the Sky" · "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" · "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" · Kiss Me Kate soundtrack
Sports: Yankees win the World Series against Brooklyn Dodgers 4-1 Minneapolis Lakers beat the Washington Capitols 4-2 for the NBA Championship Toronto defeats Detroit for the Stanley Cup 4-0 NCAA Football Champions Notre Dame 10-0-0 Kentucky Derby Champion: Ponder NCAA Basketball Championship Kentucky verses Oklahoma A&M 46-36
1949 Economy US GDP (1998 dollars) 267.8billion Fed Spending 38.84billion Fed Debt: 252.6billion Dow Jones high/low 200/161 Consumer Price Index 23.8 Unemployment 3.8% First class stamp cost: 0.03
FUN FACTS:
Population 132,122,000
Unemployed in 1940 - 8,120,000
National Debt $43 Billion
Average Salary $1,299. Teacher's salary $1,441
Minimum Wage $.43 per hour
55% of U.S. homes have indoor plumbing
Antarctica is discovered to be a continent
Life expectancy 68.2 female, 60.8 male
Auto deaths 34,500
Supreme Court decides blacks do have a right to vote
World War II changed the order of world power; the United States and the USSR become super powers
Cold War begins.
Many people think of the late 40's as being a fast paced city life, and although rural areas were common, the spotlight was in city environments such as New York.
Truman was our president
1949 Cadillac
The full skirt with high-heels
Zoot suits and also plays were popular means of entertainment
Teenagers were allowed more freedom than previous years. They loved listening to rock and roll music and males were expected to have a job or join the army for money to provide for their families.
During class time girls would make dresses and hats and learn how to do laundry correctly. Boys were trained in physical
education to keep them in shape for war.
There were “sock hops” which were dances. The dancing style was called “Jitter Bug.”
What music did they listen to?
Rock and roll
Russ Morgan
Freddy Martin
What was the median family income?
$19000
What was the median family income of wealthy families?
$25000
Fashion during the late 40’s
After the war when all of the fabric restrictions were taken off, the female full skirt with a tight waist was popular, and although many of these dresses were rather uncomfortable to wear they were considered highly fashionable. Also women gave up low-heeled shoes for high heels, curled their hair typically, and wore make-up when socially acceptable. During this time the majority of men were factory or office workers and had typical business suits and factory clothing, however when socially required the zoot suit was rather popular.
Entertainment: First Emmy Awards are handed out on January 25
Cable television debuts, bringing better reception to rural areas where the original signal was weakMilton Berle hosts the first telethon, which went to benefit cancer research
Music:
· "Some Enchanted Evening"
· "Ghost Riders in the Sky"
· "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
· "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"
· Kiss Me Kate soundtrack
Books:
· Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky
· John Dos Passos, The Grand Design
· Shirley Jackson, The Lottery
· Yukio Mishima, Confessions of a Mask
· Reinhold Niebuhr, Faith and History
· George Orwell, 1984
· Norman Vincent Peale, A Guide to Confident Living
· Eleanor Roosevelt, This I Remember
· Eudora Welty, Golden Apples
Science-aviation-Capt. James Gallagher and USAF crew make first round-the-world nonstop flight from Ft. Worth, Texas, and returning to same point: 23,452 miles in 94 hours, 1 minute (Feb. 27–March 2).
Sports:
Yankees win the World Series against Brooklyn Dodgers 4-1
Minneapolis Lakers beat the Washington Capitols 4-2 for the NBA Championship
Toronto defeats Detroit for the Stanley Cup 4-0
NCAA Football Champions Notre Dame 10-0-0
Kentucky Derby Champion: Ponder
NCAA Basketball Championship Kentucky verses Oklahoma A&M 46-36
1949 Economy
US GDP (1998 dollars) 267.8billion
Fed Spending 38.84billion
Fed Debt: 252.6billion
Dow Jones high/low 200/161
Consumer Price Index 23.8
Unemployment 3.8%
First class stamp cost: 0.03
FUN FACTS:
1949 Cadillac
The full skirt with high-heels
Zoot suits and also plays were popular means of entertainment
First aired Emmy Awards